Charles W. Hanson

Charles W Hanson was born in Seattle, Washington, on April 12, 1920, to Mabeth Jackson Hanson (3rd generation American) and Charles H. Hanson (immigrant from Norway) and grew up in Ketchikan, Alaska. Charles graduated from high school and got a job working at Lincoln Rock Lighthouse off the coast of Ketchikan as the assistant to the lighthouse keeper.
In 1941 Charles joined the US Army Airforce and WWII. He trained as an airplane propeller mechanic, working in the European theater and spending time in Paris and London. Charles received several citations including the American Defense Ribbon, American Theater Ribbon, EAME Ribbon with 4 Bronze Stars, Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge and WWII Victory Medal. Charles was, prior to his passing, the oldest living Veteran in Yamhill County, Oregon.
After WWII, Charles moved to Camas, Washington, where he bought a Chevron Service Station and used it as a base for over 35 years to serve the Camas community and many of the Crown Zellerbach Papermill employees. In the late 1940s, he met Jean Crisman Kimberly, who was a widow with two young boys. They married in May 1950, and raised six children during their 68 years of marriage. In the 1970s, at the conclusion of the Vietnam War, they hosted the Nguyen family at their home and they became an extended portion of the Hanson family. In 1992, Charles and Jean moved to Newberg, OR, and eventually into the Friendsview Retirement Community. Charles was an active volunteer during his years in Newberg by repairing the George Fox University vacuum cleaners weekly, working at FISH, packing Bibles for overseas ministries, and working on projects with Volunteers on Wheels (e.g. building cabins at church camps).
Charles passed away May 15, 2020 at the age of 100 yrs, 1 month. His wife, Alta Jean passed away in 2018. He is survived by his six children (Dwight Kimberly; Perry Kimberly; Charla Murphy; Carl Hanson; Lurae Stuart; and Synda Plain), 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Charles was a living example of “Be kind to others.”
In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Charles’s life with a donation to the Charles & Jean Hanson Scholarship Fund at George Fox University.